The Edmonton Eskimos released 10 players in the first wave of league-wide cut downs Sunday.

The 84 bodies in training camp was cut down to reach the CFL-mandated 65 (plus non-counters, such as draft picks), as nine international players (formerly imports) and one national (or non-import) got their walking papers.

The cuts come on the heels of a 14-11 loss to the visiting B.C. Lions in Friday's preseason opener.

The game was a job audition for the players, and a chance for coaches to evaluate talent in a game atmosphere.

Eskimos head coach Chris Jones said it was as much about winning as it was grading players.

“We did both. We wanted to win the football game, unfortunately we came out on the short end, but we did play a whole bunch of people in order to try to get the evaluations,” said Jones, who dressed 72 players in Friday's game. “